Lawn-mower



(No Model.)`- 4 D. P. MGKINNEY.

LAWN MOWBR,

Nd. 439,172. Patented out. 28, 1890.

'I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID P. MCKINNEY, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

LAWN-MOWER.l

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,172, dated October28, 1890. Application filed .Tune '7, 1890. Serial No. 354,593. (Nomodel.)

To all whoml it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID P. MCKINNEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Lawn-Mowers, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawlugs.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inlawn-mowers, the peculiarities of which will be hereinafter more fullydescribed, and pointed out in the claims.

In the practical work of setting up lawnmowers it has been found that aperfect alignment of the cutter-blade with the reel-blades is not oftensecured. The pivotal connections of the cutter-bar and the fittings ofthe' other parts of the machine will unavoidably cause the cutter-bladeto vary more or less from perfect alignment with the reel-bladesthat isto say, the cutter-bar will meet the path of the reel-blades at one endof the bar, while the other end is a little distance therefrom. Theusual manner of adjusting the other end is by tightening the ordinarysetscrew, so as to twist the cutter and bring the said end also intoposition. This twisting action throws the cutter out of a straight line,and generally causes it to be hollow near the middle of its length; butmy invention is designed to overcome this defect and retain the straightcutting-edge, and to secure perfect and quick alignment with thereel-blades without causing any twisting or other strains on the cutterand its bar, nor any binding of the connections between either end ofthe cutter-bar and its side plate.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andon which like reference-letters indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1represents an inside view ot' a side plate having my improvementsthereon and the cutter-barand cutter in section; Fig. 2,a sectional viewof Fig. lon the line a", at; Fig. 3, a front view of the cutter-bar withthe side plates in section; Fig. 4, an outside view of a side plate withva modification of my device thereon, and Fig. 5 a sectional view ofFig. 4 along the line 3/ y.

The letters A and A designate the side plates of alawn-mower of theusual or any convenient style, on one of which plates-A, for instance-ismounted my device. Both plates preferably have lugs B and B', in whichare mounted set-screws O, passing through screwthreaded aperturestherein and bearing upon the respective ends of the cutter-bar D ateither side of the pivotal bolt E or otherwise, so as to tip the bar andits cutter F to and from the path of the reel.

In Fig. 3 the extension or turned-up end of the cutter-bar is shown nextto the side plate A', and secured thereto bya pivotal boltfastcnedthrough aball-and-socket joint. At the other end of the cutter theextension is preferably set oft a little from the end of the bar toallow of an adjustable piece I being fitted in between the saidextension and its side plate, and having an opening through which thepivotal bolt E passes, to thereby support that end of the cutter-bar.Thelatter extension, however, has a convex surface fitting into itssocket, which in this case is formed in the adjustable piece instead ofin the side plate, as at the other end, whereby a ball-andsocketconnection is formed at both ends of the cutter-bar,which allows of oneend being moved about the other as a center without binding eitherconnection. The bolt E, having a nut on the end thereof, preferablyextends through the side plate A, in which is an enlarged opening toallow of aconvenient adjustment of the said bolt therein when theadjustable piece I is moved by means of a screw-bolt G, threaded into alug H, preferably extending from the upper end of the said piece. Thesaid bolt G tits loosely in a lug J, extending from the plate A inconvenient proximity to the adjustable piece. Any other convenient meansof adjusting the piece I may be used. A check-bolt K is threaded int-othe piece I, and passes through an enlarged opening lo in the sideplate.

The dotted lines L in Fig. 3 represent the path of the reel-blades, towhich the front edge of the cutter is adj usted by means of theset-screws C. For example, the right-hand end of the cutter may becorrectly adjusted to the blade, while the left hand may be out ofadjustment, as shown in this figure. By turning the screw-bolt G, thusraising the ad- IOO justable piece I and the end of the cutter-.barsupported thereby, the left-hand end of the cutter will also be broughtinto proper alignment, and as there is no twisting action on thecutter-bar the whole cutting-edge of the cutter will also be in perfectalignment with the reelblades. If the lefthand end of the cutter ishighest, the piece I is lowered. The check-bolt K, before mentioned, isnow screwed tight, and also the nut of the pivotal bolt E. This clampsthe piece I to the Side plate, and prevents any accidental movementwhereby it may be thrown out of its correct position. The set-screws Care then finally tightened.

In Fig. 4L a modification of my device is shown and mounted on theoutside of the side plate. The pivotal bolt E is supported by anadjustable piece I', which is pivoted on the bolt M and has a slot O atthe other end, through which passes a check-bolt K. The pivotal bolt Epreferably passes through an enlarged opening in the side plate A,similar to the one in Fig. 2. The adjustable piece I may therefore bemoved so as to adjust the corresponding end of the cut ter-bar and bringthe cutter into perfect alignment, as before described, and is held inits correct position by the said check-bolt K.

It will be seen that my device causes no internal or twisting strainsupon the cutterbar, thus throwing the cutter out of true. The cutter istherefore quickly and perfectly aligned to the reel-blades along thewhole cutting-edge, thereby increasing the effective operation of themowerby the easier running and cleaner cutting of the same.

If desired, the bolts K and K may be dispensed with and other meansemployed to hold the adjustable piece in its final correct position.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a lawn-mower, the combination, with the reel, the frame, and thecutter-bar, of a balland-socket connection between one side plate andone end of the cutter-bar, an adjustable piece slidingly connected withthe other side plate, devices adapted to vertically adjust said pieceand to secure 'the same, and a ball-and-socket connection between saidpiece and the other end of thecutter-bar, whereby the latter end of thecutter-bar may be adj usted to and from the path of the reel, yetwithout binding the connections of the cutter-bar at either end.

A 2. In a lawn-mower, the combination, with the reel, the frame, and thecutter-bar, of a ball-and-socket connection between one end of thecutter-bar and one side plate, an adjustable piece carried by the otherside plate, and a ball-and-socket connection between said adjustablepiece and the cutter-bar, whereby the latter end of the cutter-bar maybe adjusted to and from the path of the reel without binding theconnections of the cutter-bar at either end.

3. In a lawn-mower, the combination, with the side plate, the reel, andthe cutter-bar, of a piece carried by said side plate and adjustabletherein, and a pivotal connection between the said piece and saidcutter-bar, whereby through the adjustability of the piece and thepivotal connection the alignment of the cutter-bar with respect to thereel may be correctly obtained.

4. In a lawn-mower, the combination, with a side plate, a reel, and acutter-bar, of an adjustable piece supporting said cutter-bar, a pivotalbolt connecting the same and said piece, and also passing through anenlarged opening in said side plate, a screw-bolt adjustably connectingsaid piece to said plate, and a check-bolt passing through an enlargedopening in said plate and engaging with said piece, whereby thecuttenbar may be moved to and from the said reel at one end and held inplace by saidscrew-bolt and check-bolt and pivotal connection.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID P. MGKINNEY. lVitncsses:

W. A. HALLANAN, JOHN B. TEHEN.

